Weekly Update 7 February 2025

Reflection

Sharman Badgett-Young

Sharman
Badgett-Young

This past Sunday, we sang a favorite hymn of mine, #324: Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. If you ask my husband Tom, he’ll tell you that I like it because it is set in a minor key. While it’s true that I love the sound of minor and modal keys, that’s not the only reason I love this hymn. 

The words are believed to have been written way back in the 4th Century, as a Cherubic Hymn, one tiny part of the lengthy Christian Liturgy of St. James. According to Wikipedia, it was attributed to “James the Just and patriarch among the Jewish Catholics at Jerusalem.” Modified versions of this liturgy are still in use in some Catholic and Orthodox churches.

A United Methodist Hymnal suggests that the words in the hymn were based on John 6:35-58, where Jesus claims he is the bread of life, and Revelation 4, John’s vision of The Throne in Heaven, while Wikipedia suggests Habakkuk 2:20 and Zechariah 2:13, both of which begin with requests for silence.

In 1864, the Greek words of the Cherubic Hymn were transliterated into English by Moultrie and set to the tune of a French folksong, Picardy, allowing the hymn to spread into over 40 Christian hymnbooks today, either under the subject of Advent or in the Eucharist/Communion/Lord’s Supper section (or both). It is often played on the first Sunday after Christmas.  

But none of the reasons above are why I love Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence. I love it because the words and music lead me to a “thin place” where I catch a glimpse of John’s revelation and am flooded with a sense of the supernatural, unearthly mystery of God’s incarnation in Jesus.

Sunday Services

Sunday, 9 February 2025
The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany
Year C

Chandler’s Square Holy Eucharist
9:15 am
Chandler’s Square Retirement Community
1300 “O” Avenue, Anacortes
Presider: The Rev. Keith Axberg

Christ Church Holy Eucharist

10:30 am
Christ Church Sanctuary
1216 Seventh Street, Anacortes
The service is also available on YouTube.

Servers
Presider: The Rev. Keith Axberg
Deacon & Homilist: The Rev. Eric Johnson
Eucharistic Minister: Jim Minton
Readers: Todd Fifield, Jerlyn Caba
Ushers: June Cook, Margaret Whatley
Altar Guild: June Cook, Kris Whitely
Bread Ministry: Jerlyn Caba
Organist: Lynne Berg/Mark Perschbacher
Eucharistic Visitor: June Cook
Coffee Hour Hosts: Stephanie Galbraith & Dan Moore

Readings
Isaiah 6:1-13
Psalm 138
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Luke 5:1-11
Readings may be found in the Episcopal Lectionary.

Hymns
H 686 - Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing
H 537 - Christ for the World We Sing!
WLP 812 - I, the Lord of Sea and Sky
LEVAS 203 - There Is a Balm in Gilead
H 362 - Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!

Bulletin link 02/09/2025
YouTube Sunday Service Link

Coffee Hour
Coffee Hour follows the service. All are welcome.

Announcements

A Joyful Noise

Find all the February news at A Joyful Noise February 2025.

Faith Formation Series: I Will with God’s Help

Faith Formation series with Rev. Courtney continues on Sunday, February 16.
Information about the series is available in the February Joyful Noise and at: https://sites.google.com/view/iwillwithgodshelp/home

Youth Group

Youth Group meets on Wednesday, February 12.
6-7:30 pm, beginning with dinner
Parish Hall Gathering Room
All youth in middle school & high school are welcome.

Centering Prayer

Weekly on Wednesdays
1:15 – 1:45 pm
Christ Church Sanctuary
All are welcome to join in this short, simple service: a Scripture reading, twenty minutes of silence, an intercessory prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer.
Questions? Please contact Maggie Collinge.

Men’s Group

The Men’s Group meets weekly on Fridays.
9:00 – 10:00 am
Parish Hall Gathering Room
Questions? Please contact Deacon Eric Johnson.

Yoga Class Cancelled

Yoga Class has been cancelled.

The Red Door Thrift Shop
Weekly News

Dawn Jex, Red Door Manager

Dawn Jex

Hello Everyone and Welcome to February!

First of all, I want to thank everyone for your positive energy and prayers. On Saturday, Barry and I found out that we have been chosen to purchase a habitat for humanity house here in Anacortes. The houses will be finished in July so moving will happen then. We will be selling our little "cabin in the woods." We are each required to do 150 hours of sweat equity. We are allowed to have "friends and family" help with some of those hours if you're interested to give us a hand. We won't say no. We are very excited and looking forward to being HOME. 

Over the last two weeks, we have had a few new people dropping by the shop asking for help. On Tuesday last week a woman came in with a walker. She pointed at our grant recipient posters in the front window and said, "You give money to the police and also to Anacortes Family Center. I've been to both of them and they won't help me. They just send me away and I'm hungry. I just want some help with food." and she started to cry. I felt bad for her so I took some cash out of my own pocket and gave it to her. She hugged me and cried.

Now I want you all to know that I do not recommend giving people money. In fact, my son who is a recovering addict would tell you that 98% of people who ask for money use it for drugs. So please do not follow my example. And we would never give money from the till. Also, I do not question what the Police department and AFC do with the money we send them. I trust them to follow their own policies and procedures and to do what is right for the folks they encounter.  IF what the woman told us was even true. Sometimes you just have to look past all the words and make a judgement call with love - which is what I did. 

We also had a gentleman come in on Thursday saying almost the same thing. His words were, "I've been to the Anacortes Family Center and they won't help me. They discriminate against men. I'm living in my Van. I've sent other men there and they won't help them." This gentleman was looking for money for gas. I told him we couldn't give him money for gas but if there was anything else in the store that we could help with - we would. He said that some shoes might help. He was wearing flip flops. So we went and found him a pair of tennis shoes and some socks. I directed him to King's Den Ministries as well. 

I know it can be hard to figure out what to do when people come in asking for help. They may be acting strange, they may be on drugs and won't stop talking, they may even be smelly. The best thing to do is to look at them with your heart. Every person matters and we are here to help people. So If I'm not around - try to figure out what they need. We usually send folks to the Salvation Army or AFC for vouchers but if that won't work we CAN give them warm clothes, socks, a sleeping bag etc. Just write down what is given in the "In Kind" Donations binder when you are finished. Use your best judgement. 

Things at the shop are going along swimmingly. Last January our total for the month was $12,879 and totals for this January are: 14,811! That's a 15% increase. Good job team. January felt very slow and historically it is our slowest month. So great job getting all of the goods priced, into the store and SOLD! What a great way to start the year. 

This Thursday is the day for our partnership with the Anacortes Family Center with their Dine and Shop Event. We will be giving a large portion of our income that day to AFC. Please do your shopping this week on Thursday and invite your friends!

Sales this week: 
White tag clothes will be half price
Valentine Items are 50 cents.
Women's pants are $1.
Anything from a bin - Half price.

Open Shifts 
We are still in need of a person to do hard goods pricing on Friday mornings. That shift is from 9:30 am to 12:30.

We also could use another person to work in the shed temporarily on Thursday mornings 10-1 while Doug is away. He will be gone for about 7 weeks. 

The store is feeling very full. We may have another large sale soon but I don't have it scheduled yet. I will be working on calendars and hope to get them to you next week as I will be out of town later in the month. 

Stay warm and safe! See you soon!
Dawn

Christ Church’s Red Door Thrift Shop is located at 1019 Seventh Street in Anacortes.
Red Door Thrift Shop
360.293.8027

Red Door Shopping Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10am – 3pm

Red Door Donation Hours:
Monday & Wednesday: 10am – 1pm
Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday: 10am – 3pm

Profits generated at the Red Door Thrift Shop fund Christ Church’s Community Support program.
Shoppers, Volunteers, & Donations are always welcome!

Day by Day

Day by Day daily devotions may be accessed at the following link:
Day by Day Daily Devotion.

Prayer List

Dale
Zoanne
Linda
Tom
Karen
Leslie
Diana
Val
John
John & Mary
Tony & family, Brendan, and Jennifer, family & friends of Mary